08/05/2026
Over Easter weekend, beautiful Gertie from our State Fair Litter found herself in a terrifying situation after being startled in an unfamiliar environment and slipping out of her harness. In just seconds, city-girl Gertie disappeared into the woods.
For four and a half days, Gertie was in survival mode. Her family searched tirelessly alongside friends, drone teams, and recovery specialists, learning so much about the behavior of a lost dog in the process:
• We often don't realize just how quickly a dog can enter flight mode, leading to an inability to recognize even their loving families.
• Typically a dog who has run away will stay within 2 miles of where they initially escaped.
• They identify a safe area and set up an "area of boundary" for themselves that they typically do not leave.
Thankfully, just as quickly as she went into survival mode, she got back to being Gertie! Gertie eventually found her way back home with only a leg injury requiring stitches, and today she’s back to being her happy, couch-loving self. Gertie and her family were very lucky for this scare only having lasted four and a half days. There are so many stories of a family dog being lost for up to two weeks, or never being found, so that is what her family was prepared for…
This story wasn’t caused by neglect or carelessness. It was a reminder that even attentive, loving dog owners can find themselves in scary situations in the blink of an eye.
That’s why we take preparedness seriously at Skarlotte Goldens. Every puppy goes home already microchipped with lifetime registration through AKC Reunite because small preventative steps can make all the difference when the unexpected happens.
A few reminders from Gertie’s story:
• Keep your microchip information updated
• Double-check gates, doors, and surroundings
• Avoid tethering dogs in unfamiliar environments
• Consider secure collars and GPS tracking devices for outings
We are just so grateful Gertie made it home safely!